A person’s body temperature is affected by more than the environment alone. Health and lifestyle factors contribute significantly to the way individuals perceive cold.

Some individuals will feel excessively warm while carrying out the same task in the same environment. Safety company Arco stresses that being uncomfortably hot, wet or cold can cause irrational and unsafe behaviour as employees take shortcuts to avoid being exposed to these conditions for long periods of time and their ability to make decisions deteriorates.

In its latest educational campaign, Arco is emphasising the importance of layering this winter to ensure workers remain comfortable throughout the colder months as well as remaining safe. Employers need to recognise that in order for employees to work at their optimum productivity level, they must be able to maintain a comfortable body temperature. It’s also vital that employers understand that allowing workers to continue working in uncomfortably wet or cold conditions is detrimental to their wellbeing and can become a safety risk.

One of the most effective ways to protect employees against their thermal environment is to provide them with a suitable layering system. A layering system simply means providing different garments so workers can adapt what they wear to the changing weather, their work activity and their personal needs. Multiple layers are also more effective and less cumbersome to wear than a single bulky item.

This includes: An outer layer to shield against wind, rain and scuffs with breathable properties to help prevent overheating; an insulating mid later to provide warmth and comfort; and a base layer to offer additional thermal properties but also wick sweat away to help keep workers dry.

To ensure employers are fully educated on protecting workers from the winter elements, Arco has created a dedicated section on its website and a free expert advice sheet for customers to download. Additionally, Arco has launched an all seasons, 3-in-1 jacket that offers extreme versatility by providing two layers that can either work separately or together to offer an enhanced level of protection.

In order to give customers a choice of waterproof clothing, Arco’s GORE-TEX Fabric product range allows wearers to work in ultimate comfort while protected from the wind and rain.

Tested to almost eight times the minimum standards, Arco's GORE-TEX outdoor clothing range guarantees water from the outside will never penetrate, wind cannot pass through and perspiration from inside escapes easily ensuring the body is kept warm and dry.

Arco, a UK-leading supplier of safety products and services, has received a Gold award for its ‘CE is No Guarantee’ Campaign, at this years’ International B2B Marketing awards.

Arco became aware of dangerous gaps in the CE marking process for safety equipment that was allowing unsafe products to go to market. To ensure future safety and generate awareness leading to real change, and that workplaces across the UK become safer for workers, Arco decided it had no choice but to expose its findings by raising industry and government awareness.

The thought leadership campaign needed to cut through bureaucracy and drive real change. With around 600,000 workers each year reporting that they have suffered an injury at work, the consequences of failing to apply due diligence to PPE purchasing are huge.

Central to the campaign activity was a short, compelling documentary film which brought together legal experts, brand owners and health and safety specialists to examine how this was happening to legitimately CE marked safety equipment. The campaign resulted in a number of product recalls and competitor statements, inspired senior industry stakeholders to become involved, and ensured questions were asked in Parliament about post-Brexit safety legislation and the safety of workers.

The campaign was further supported by smart use of challenging online banner messaging and ad placement, plus an emotive brand campaign highlighting the risks of non-compliant safety equipment.

Those concerned about the risks of failing CE marked PPE leaving their workers and business exposed can visit www.KnowYourRisk.co.uk to watch the short film and get a free risk profile to find out how exposed they are.

UK safety expert Arco will support this year’s annual World Heart Day on Saturday 29th September 2018 by offering a 20% discount on a range of defibrillators across the month of September.

As Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the leading cause of premature death in the UK, Arco is keen to educate its customers on the facts and potential dangers SCA can pose in order to help them prepare for all eventualities.

SCA is an abrupt loss of pulse and consciousness caused by an unexpected failure in the heart’s ability to effectively pump blood to the brain and around the body. Yet, with proper immediate treatment, many lives can be saved. For victims of SCA, defibrillation is a crucial stage in a sequence of events which need to occur to ensure the victim is fully resuscitated.

The need to act quickly is supported by the survival rate to response time statistics. For example, if a defibrillator is used on a victim within 3-5 minutes of collapsing, survival rates can be as high as 50-70%. However, the likelihood of a successful resuscitation decreases by around 7-10% with every minute that passes and unfortunately, after 10 minutes without defibrillation very few attempts at resuscitation are successful.

Whilst first aid courses and defibrillator specific training is available, circumstances often dictate that no trained operator is present on site when an emergency strikes. With this in mind, the latest defibrillators in the Arco catalogue are purposely designed so that everyone, including the untrained user, can easily access the equipment. It is important to note that defibrillators are completely safe to use and will not allow a shock to be given unless the heart's rhythm requires it. Furthermore, the machines are designed to be stored for long periods without use and require very little routine maintenance. Arco hope that by educating the untrained user, they will feel more confident to use them in a crisis.

Niall Robinson, product & procurement manager at Arco, said: “With a wealth of expert information from our in-house specialists, we want to stress the importance of education surrounding defibrillation, with the premise that workers can be more proactive in the early stages of SCA. We are delighted to be taking part in increasing the awareness of this tragic cause of death and hope that in doing so, more lives can be saved in the future.”

Safety company Arco is encouraging its customers to embrace technological advancements into their businesses by launching a range of drones that could be used to carry out otherwise hazardous tasks, safely and cost-effectively.

The use of drones within a commercial environment is increasing and is likely to significantly change the working practices of many businesses. According to a recent report, the use of drone technology could drive cost savings of £16bn each year with an estimated 628,000 people working in the future drone economy, including building and programming these new devices.

There are a number of dangerous tasks where the benefits of using drones are already becoming apparent, for example building inspections and site surveys, offshore oil rig inspections, wind turbine inspections, and agriculture.

To fly a drone commercially a pilot is required to complete drone training and then apply for a Permission for Commercial Operations (PfCO), from the Commercial Aviation Authority (CAA). It is essential those flying the high-tech equipment understand the rules and regulations they must adhere to.

To ensure drones have a positive impact in the workplace and are used safely and in accordance with the regulations, customers can purchase Arco’s drone products with training to enable pilots to comply with safety standards. The training courses are provided by an accredited training facility and are available to purchase with or without the drone.

ARCO LAUNCHES its new collection of slip resistant footwear, introducing new athletic styles from the TROJAN range.

The range is designed to meet the needs of today’s workers for modern, athletic footwear that prioritises comfort without comprising safety.

Slips, trips and falls are the most common cause of major injury in UK workplaces. To help reduce these it is critical to wear appropriate safety footwear that has been tested to comply with the relevant safety standards.

The new range of TROJAN footwear exceeds these standards and has been tested in the company’s independently accredited Product Assurance Laboratory, achieving EN ISO 20344:2011 and the EN ISO 13287: 2012 standard for slip resistance.

As the last line of defence, PPE should be the highest possible quality, to make sure products are fit for purpose, according to xxx xxxx

THE UK leads the way in workplace safety and continues to do so, our regulations and management of work place health and safety have been the envy of many industrial countries but there are weaknesses in the system, particularly when it comes to standards of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), the last line of defence for most employees.

Whether individuals are working at height, in confined spaces or on the factory floor, lives may depend on the quality of the PPE they are required to wear. The supply of high quality and reliable products should always be the number one consideration when sourcing and purchasing all types of PPE.

However, this enviable reputation is at risk. Recent findings have indicated that despite PPE having the required EC type approval and CE mark, some products that employers would rightly assume to be safe, may not actually be fit for purpose.

Nearly three years ago, Arco began to raise awareness of the issue of non-compliant products in the marketplace, as a result of due diligence testing in its own product assurance facility at its headquarters in Hull. The initial tests showed a high fail rate for non-metallic footwear toe caps, as well as midsole steel protection.

After a closer look at leather gloves, they found examples that contained illegal levels of carcinogenic chemicals including Azo dye and Chromium VI, based on the requirements of EN420:2003 and REACH regulations.

The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) went on to raise awareness of the issues with Trading Standards and as a result, port of entry checks were introduced as a way of preventing non-compliant products from entering the UK marketplace. However, independent testing on leather gloves is widely available in the marketplace and has revealed illegal levels of Azo dye and Chromium VI that exceed the limits set by the relevant standard. This is despite the fact that all the gloves tested carried the CE mark approval.

What are the dangers?

Both Azo dye and Chromium VI are restricted in the EU, due to the known harmful effects they may have to human health. Azo dyes are commonly used as a colourant in a range of textiles and leather gloves. Some of the dyes within the Azo family breakdown to form aromatic amines, which are carcinogenic. Dyed textiles or leathers that are in direct or prolonged contact with the skin should be tested for these aromatic amines, to ensure that the products meet the requirements of the required standard.

Chromium salts are used in the leather tanning process and can exist in different states two of which are known as Chromium III and Chromium VI. In finished leather, it is usually present as Chromium III, however, it is possible that during the tanning process or under certain storage conditions, small amounts of Chromium III may be oxidised to Chromium VI. Chromium VI compounds pose a health hazard as exposure through wearing leather gloves is may pose a risk of skin irritation or allergic reaction.

The requirement for the control of Chromium VI is specifically detailed within the British and European standard BS EN 420:2003 + A1:2009 for protective gloves. Additionally, both Chromium VI and banned Azo dyes should meet the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 REACH, and therefore the innocuousness requirements of the PPE Directive.

Keeping workers safe

Armed with these alarming results, Arco has embarked on a dedicated campaign to raise awareness of the potential risks to anyone using and relying on PPE and the CE mark.

This is especially important given that some of the substandard products are available on the market meaning in some cases employers are being falsely assured that the products they are buying are meeting necessary standards. Consequently, it can be extremely difficult for those buying PPE to identify true product compliance.

The responsibility falls to the manufacturer, importer or distributor who may not have the processes in place to ensure regular testing. Anyone who has concerns over the safety of the equipment they are being supplied should:

Ask suppliers for a declaration of conformity that shows original certification for the PPE they are purchasing;

Ask suppliers to define their process for sample testing to ensure safety products continue to meet the required standards;

Ensure suppliers are members of the BSIF Registered Safety Supplier Scheme;

Ask suppliers to define their process of quality assurance at the manufacturing facility to ensure the products are being manufactured as they were originally certified; and

Arco has launched its new range of cut protection safety gloves, providing workers with its most comprehensive hand protection range to date, meeting the revised EN 388:2016 standard whilst educating employers about the changes to cut level testing.

Hand injuries continue to be the leading cause of workplace injury and these could be prevented through workers wearing the right gloves for the job, with proven protection that is compliant to safety standards.

Arco’s high cut protection range, Cut 5E has been re-designed to clearly highlight the level of safety it provides on the back of the gloves, in-order to increase understanding about the protection levels which is a key requirement in the revised standard.

There are 11 products in the range that has been revamped to become more lightweight, comfortable and durable, whilst still achieving high cut protection levels in line with the new protocols of EN 388:2016. By 21st April 2019, all safety gloves must be compliant to this standard.

Arco Hose Division, the UK safety expert and one of the country’s largest industrial hose distributors, continues to provide an extensive range of efficient hose reels, ensuring workplaces are free from obstructions and compliant to health and safety standards.

Every year, 29% of accidents in UK workplaces consist of slips, trips and falls and if workers become injured as a result of such incidents, this can have costly implications for employers while having an impact on productivity in the workplace. Trailing hoses can be a particular hazard and increase the risk of slips, trips and falls whilst also having an increased risk of wear and abrasion which can lead to more frequent replacement or even hose failure.

Choosing the most appropriate hose reel for the workplace is essential and could be the key to improving health and safety whilst enhancing workplace efficiency. The benefits of choosing the correct hose reels will ensure product longevity and reduce coiling time, enabling workers to continue with their task rather than spending a long time coiling the hose after use. The equipment will always be in the same place and will be ready to use as soon as needed.

To improve safety in the workplace and to reduce the risk of injury, Arco Hose Division, provides an extensive range of hose reels suitable for almost any job, from an entry level economy reel through to a motor driven large bore fuel reel, as well as manual and self-retracting reels.

Providing customers with reliable equipment, Arco Hose Division offers customers access to over 3,000 product lines and over 600,000 meters of hose. It is built upon the core principles of quality, safety and service that is channelled through the technical team who have over 200 years’ experience and can offer expert advice and guidance on choosing the right products, as well as giving advice on hose safety, hose management services and any relevant legislation.

Arco, which describes itself as the UK’s leading safety company, is leading the way in helping buyers navigate the complicated waters of the new PPE Regulation with clear, expert guidance and an assurance that its own products will fully comply with the requirements of the new legislation by the required transition end date.

The new PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 brings about the most significant changes to the rules on PPE, since the introduction of the first Directive over 20 years ago. The changes are designed to ensure ongoing product safety and assurance and to better reflect the needs of those buying and using PPE to keep them safe at work.

From 21st April 2018, the transition requirements of the new Regulation came into force and all those responsible for the purchase of PPE need to ensure that their suppliers are able to meet the new Regulation requirements. Arco has published an up to date summary of the Regulation, available free on the company’s website, which will help purchasers understand what the requirements mean for them. The document includes key dates, a summary of the changes, advice on working with a trusted supplier and guidance on how to check that any PPE complies with the new regulation.

The rules of the new Regulation apply to the whole supply chain, not just manufacturers and clearly define that an importer or distributor who markets PPE products in Europe under their own name, brand or trademark, becomes liable for the full manufacturer’s obligations. As the industry leader, Arco has a well-established 5-step product assurance process and has also published all declarations of conformity at https://conformity.arco.co.uk/.

Neil Hewitt, Arco’s divisional director of quality and technical standards, said: "The new PPE Regulation puts the obligation on everyone involved in the manufacture, supply and distribution of PPE, including Arco, to ensure their products meet with the required standards, that they keep technical files and records and that they carry out sample testing on their PPE where appropriate. With the investment we’ve made in product assurance and our own laboratory, we are well placed to meet the new obligations and to assure customers that they are buying from a reliable, fully compliant supplier. The new regulations have introduced significant changes for both suppliers and buyers and we’ve put together some useful resources that are free to download from our website, to help customers navigate the new rules and we urge them to make sure they keep their people safe by working with a trusted supplier.”